Apparatus for automatically supplying sap to evaporating-pans



'(No Model.)

M. O. BARDEN.

APPARATUSIPOR AUTOMATICALLY SUPPLYING SAP T0 EVABORATING BANS.

No. 263,839.. Patented Sept. 5, 1882.

W KB Q Arru i=1 may UNITED STATES PATENT price,

MERBITT O. BARDEN, OF WEST PAWLET, VERMONT.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SUPPLYING SAP TO EVAPORATING-PANS.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,839, dated.September 5, 1882.

Application filed April 28, 1882. (No model.)

-T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MERRITT O.BARDEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at West Pawlet, in the county ofRutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus, for Automatically Supplying Sap to theEvaporating-Pan, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in certain improvements upon the apparatus forwhich Letters Patent were allowed me uponthe 27th day of October, A. D.1881, said letters to bear date and issue the 28th day of March, A. D.1882.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure lis a view partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a view inplan, part of the apparatus being broken away or omitted.

A in said drawings represents a cylindrical casin g, open at top and atbottom, and constructed oftin or any other suitable material. Withinthis casing is placed a float, B, of such size as to nearly fill thelower portion of the case A, and at the same time permit the float tomove vertically. Upon the upper flat surface of the float A areplaceduprights O, for a purpose hereinal'ter described. 7

1) D are arms or levers having substantially the shape shown, pivotedtogether at the point a, the end of each arm being curved from theirpoint of junction downward toward the supports or uprights G C. At theextremity of each arm is formed a slot, b, through which passes a pin orbolt, (7, whereby the end of each arm is connected with the uprights 0upon the float B.

To the pivot-bolt a, which unites the arms D D, are attached polygonalplates E, having formed in each plate an opening, 0. Upon each arm D isformed a shoulder-piece or finger,f, at about right angles to the armand passing below the lowest point of the opening The arms D D extend inopposite direc tions,passing through slots F in the casing A, and areconnected with said casing by means of a linked support or chain, G,which is hooked upon a pin, I, placed at the top of the casing A. Aweight, L, is placed upon each arm 1), near its outer extremity, the armbeing notched to allow adjustment of the weight, and notches may alsobeformed upon the lower edge to permit the adj ustmentof thesupporting-chain G toward or from the pivotalpoint a.

The mode of operation is as follows: The sap as it is gathered from thesugar-orchard is poured into a largereservoir or tank raised high enoughso that its bottom is upon alevel with or somewhat higher than thebottom of the evaporating-pan. Aflexible tube of suitable length leadsfrom the one to the other and permits the discharge of sap from the tankor reservoir into the evaporating-pan. The feed regulatingapparatusshown in the drawings is placed in the pan, and the flexible tube leadin g from the'sap-tank is passed through slots 0 in the casing A andthrough the central opening in the plates E, at which point it liesdirectly between the shoulders f f, formed upon the arms D. A portion ofthis pipe is shown at P in the drawings. The evaporating-pan beingfilled with sap to the required depth, the chains G are hooked upon thepins I at the proper point, supporting the arms D at such a height thatthey will compress the flexible tube P, the weights L being so adjustedas to balance the float with appurtenances, or nearly so, apreponderance of weight being allowed upon the other side of thechainsupports G, in orderthat the float: may descend by its own gravitywhen it is not supported by the fluid in the pan. As the sap in the panis evaporated and the surface of the fluid gradually descends to a lowerlevel, the float B will move downin the casing A, causing the arms D Dto turn upon the pivot a and separating the shoulders ff, therebyopening the tubeP and permitting sap to flow from the tank or reservoirinto the pan. The fluid in the latter rising the float is lifted, and asit regains its original position the pipe P is again closed and the flowof the sap arrested. The pan is thus supplied automatically with freshsap whenever it is required.

The float B is connected to the arms D by pins or bolts (1, which passthrough the uprights 0 and through the slots 12 in the ends of the armsD, whereby the pivotal movement of the said arms is allowed. The slotsmay, however, be formed inthe uprights 00, with pins rigidly secured orformed upon the ex tremitics of the arms D and moving in said slots.

It is evident that by hooking the supports G upon the pins I at such apoint as to raise the arms D nearer to thetop of the casing the depth ofthe fluid in the pan will be proportionately increased, while bylowering the arms the apparatus will feed to a less, depth. By thissimple adjustment, therefore, the parts may be so arranged in an instantthat the automatic feeder will retain the fluid in the evaporating-panat any desired height.

The advantages of an automatic feeding apparatus in the manufacture ofmaple sugar are evident. thereby, as it dispenses with the constantwatching and attendance, the frequent scorching of the sirup and theconsequent loss or deterioration of large quantities of sugar areavoided.

Havingdescribed my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combinatiomin a sap-feeding apparatus, of a float resting uponthe surface of the liquid in the evaporating-pan and rising and fallingtherewith, two lever-arms pivoted to each other and having each ashoulder bearing against the flexible supply-tube, a supporting frame orcasing to which said leverarms are suspended by means of supportsBesides the economy secured.

stantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

3. In an automatic sap-feeding apparatus, the combination, withlever-arms which are directly connected to a rising and fallingfloat, ofsupports which are adjustable vertically upon a suitable frame, wherebysaid float, together with the lever-arms, maybe raised or lowered toadjust the feed to different depths of fluid in the evaporating-pan, allsubstan tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecificationin thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MERRITT C. BAR-DEN.

Witnesses MARTIN D. GoLE, J. G. Buss.

